


nightmares

by pedropascallovebot



Category: Anne of Green Gables - L. M. Montgomery, Anne with an E (TV)
Genre: F/M, Hurt/Comfort, Nightmares, Season 3 Spoilers, Shirbert, gilberts gonna need some therapy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-17
Updated: 2019-10-17
Packaged: 2020-12-20 22:34:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 945
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21064295
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pedropascallovebot/pseuds/pedropascallovebot
Summary: in which gil has a nightmare and anne really hates seeing her husband in pain.





	nightmares

Gilbert doesn’t sleep much. He knows it’s hypocritical of him to be telling his patients to be getting a full eight hours while he’s barely squeezing in four, but he finds himself laying in bed with eyes wide open on most nights.

Anne likes to blame it on stress, and he can’t disagree, but Gilbert knows deep down the reason he can’t seem to let himself sleep is because of he’s afraid of what he sees when he does.

The first time it happens, the two are laying down and reading, Anne’s fingers lightly tracing up and down Gilbert's collarbone. His eyes are fluttering, his breathing gets shallow, and before he knows it, he’s out like a light and laying down comfortably next to his wife with her fingers now laced in his curls. That’s how it starts, but it goes downhill quick. His fingers dig into the sheets, he’s tossing and turning, and visions of his father plague his dreams.

He’s quick to assure Anne he’s fine, that time. She’s doubtful, but he kisses her on the forehead and tells her that she has no reason to worry and that it was just a bad dream.

A month later, he’s gotten better at hiding them. Sometimes he catches himself before he can wake Anne up, and other times he can tell her he just woke up to get a glass of water. If she believes him, he’s not quite sure.

One night in particular, Gilbert’s got his head resting on Anne’s shoulder, scribbling notes onto a piece of paper by candlelight. She’s softly humming and Gilbert has never felt more safe in his life. He puts down the pen and buries his body under the covers, letting himself slowly drift off to sleep. 

The first thing he sees is his mother and father. He’d never see them together, but his brain has somehow made up imagery to torment him. Gilbert watches as a shadowed figure rips them apart, and all he can hear is screaming and crying. Then, because he’s sure that his brain is out to kill him, he sees Mary on her deathbed, drenched in sweat and tears and Sebastian gripping her hand, shooting daggers at him.

“You could of done more. You could of gotten a doctor quicker. _You could of been better._” 

Gilbert can hear a voice quietly speaking his name, and he tries his best to go towards it, but a hand grips his wrist. 

He looks at the source, and it’s his father. He’s screaming at him, and Gilbert doesn’t know what he’s saying but he can’t breathe and he’s desperately trying to find that voice who was calling out to him. His dad is still yelling, and he thinks tears are streaming down his face.

“Gil!”

The voice is louder this time, and Gilbert yanks himself out of his dream, and sits up so fast he gets disoriented. 

“Are you okay?” Anne asks softly, putting a hand on his shoulder. “Can I get you some water?”

Gilbert knows he’s shaking, but he can’t stop. He finds Anne’s hand in the dark, gripping it and silently begging her not to leave him, even if it was only for a moment. 

“I don’t need anything, thank you,” he murmurs, squeezing his eyes shut while trying to catch his breathe. He can’t tell if he’s still dreaming or not.

Anne puts her hand on his shoulder, the other still clutching onto her husbands. He lets out a sob, and she pulls him closer, letting him snuggle closer to her. She pulls the blanket to cover them both, and they sit in silence for a while. Anne rubs small circles on his arm, and Gilbert is sure that his tears are getting everywhere. He just wants the sun to rise, so he doesn’t have to sleep and see everything that keeps him up at night. 

“Gilbert,” she murmurs after a while, still holding him while he slowly but surely stops shaking. “We don’t have to talk about it, but if you need to-“

“I don’t think I’m enough. I let so many people die , I let my own father die. I didn’t try harder, and it’s my fault.”

Anne pulls back, gaze suddenly fierce.

“Nothing you do can stop time, no matter how much you want to. You can’t give yourself more of it. You can’t reverse it, and you certainly can’t blame yourself for it’s doings.”

Anne braves a peak down at him to see the candlelight illuminating the tears still shining. She wipes one away, and leans down to kiss him.

“If you’re up for trying, we should get some sleep. I’ll be right here with you- I’m not going anywhere.”

Gilbert hesitates before settling into the pillows, letting Anne wrap herself around his frame. She was so warm, so gentle, that he couldn’t help but believe that maybe sleep wouldn’t be such a bad thing.

“You can sleep without worry. I’m staying right here,” Anne promises, brushing some hair away from his forehead. She pressed another kiss to it, and encourages him to shut his eyes.

“I don’t know how I got so lucky with you, Anne.”

She chuckles, and closes her own eyes. “I don’t know either. I should start charging for my services.”

He leans over, kissing her and linking their hands again. Anne stayed constant with her hands fiddling with his hair, until sleep overtook her. By then, Gilbert was out, in a dreamless state. It’s the best sleep he’s had in a month.

The nightmares don’t stop completely. He’s not sure they ever will. Gilbert’s just grateful he’s got Anne to chase them away.

**Author's Note:**

> i hope you enjoyed this GARBAGE pls leave kudos and i will kiss you


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